New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-30
Ia VIVID LIGHTNING STORM.
MUCH HAVOC CAUSED IN TIE SUBURBS

NOT SO SEVERE AS THE TUESDAY NIGHT DISTURB.
ANcE-No TROUBLE WITH TELgGRApH WIRES.
Between and 10 O'clock last night q severe
thunderstorm passed over New-York and tie sur.
rounding country. It was preceded by a brilliant
display OF lightning. that flashed vividly
and at first silently out of q black sky.
BY and by the flashes became brighter.
and followed each other in rapid succession
n d the first low mutt erings of thunder sweIed In
to a loud cannonade that rumbled and crashed d.
restly overhead. The air was surchareed with
electricity. Telephone bells were runR and sparks
glanced from the wires Several times it seemed
as II the city were swathed in fire. With the
recollection of the disaster sof Tuesday nights
storm fresh in their minds. people became appre-
hensive Windows and doors were closed and
when at S:43 o'clock the first big rain drops
spashed on the pavement. those who were outside
hurried to shelter.
1t seemed at first as il the windows of the
heavens were opened. for Q deluge of water
descended literally In streams. In q few
minutes the first strength of the fall spent ITSELF
but 1t continued to rain or less violently till
$40 o'clock.
In one hour and three minutes 34 inch fell Dur.
ing all that time the thunder beloved loud, deep
and long and the lightning shot its CLEANS with
increased intensity.
The wind. which had been southwest In the
morning and southeast in the afternoon, shifted to
due north when the storm began and during ITS
progress swirled completely round to the south,
thus in the course of the day almost
completely boxing the compass About 10
o'clock the force Of the tempest abated. The thun-
der decreased in loudness, and presently ceased
and the lightnings lingering flashes
waned and finally died out. At this
fip,a Ah4~o on-Is <akn
of things in the atmosphere. One would naturally
have supposed that the condensation of aerial
moisture into torrents Of rain would effectually
have cleared ont humidity; but according to the
observations of the Signal Service the thermometer
was at 75o. and the humidity measurement was 78
per cent.
LITTLE DAMAGE REPORTED IN THE CITY.
The flag pole at the end of Pier No. l, North
River was struck by lightning and shattered when
the storm was at its height.
Till late hour last night no
other damage casualty had
been reported from any part of the CITY, When at
any recently experienced but in reality i AID
not approach the errors Of the electrical disturb
sy'' sy tSupdeS Tn SssH:y s s "n'1 ''AS
BY the blaze Of lightning. more than one person
at the Western Union building learned that that
whole esgaphc system had as tar a. oS was yes
courteous night managers guidance. the
reporter visited the chamber =, where where
ers up the invisible fluid and passes it of. With
%%ssa. hayes ., WITH ., the .ssiss building f:
"arrestesS When a brilliant flash charges y.
sparis gn nfS Sy the Ty5aa saSns striking
off the arrester aud descending to the ground
where it passes harmlessly away. On Tuesday
tSs sp,ks
observed In the experience of the company. Last
night the display was not nearly 50 vivid or un-
At the Baltimore and Ohio building the
manager reported that business had not been
ID the least interrupted BY the storm, and MOI not
a circuit had been broken. The observer at the
Signal Service Bureau said that so far as he
could judge the storm was much less severe
than the last Que.
DAMAGE IN BROOKLYN AND THE SUBURBS.
The lightning was exceedingly vivid last even-
ing in Brooklyn, and the flashes were quickly
followed by heavy thunder. At the height of
the electrical disturbance the telegraph and tele-
phone wires In the Police Central Office snapped
as loudly as the crack of a whip, and the tele-
phone annunciators fell. The tall flagstaff on the
Young Mems Christian Association Building at
Fulton and Bond sts, shattered by the light
ming, but damage was done to the building.
About q dozen young men were IN the swimming
room attached TO the gymnasium on the Hanover
place side Of the building when the crash eame
George llaines, one OF the party SAID 10 ilhb-
UNE reporter
had just undrcssed to 90 in swimming when the room
made rs sS ss a.y ca ns r flr' a 81
pavement aud bound up again. lnere were se'era'
young men N tue ~sssr s,e .ne a e.s ssyse serwad
learned that the hagpole Of the building was struck 40
that extended about hfty feet above the roof On
the Fulton-st. side.
The storm was severe in Paterson and its
vicinity but appeared to be more violent In the sur
rounding country than in the city AT fiaiedon, .
suburb a millxman named John w. Campbell and
his daughter were struck In their house. Camp
bell was badly burned on the face and breast
and partly paralyzed. His condition Is serious.
The woman had a severe shock, but recovered.
At Passaic q big fire Illuminated the sky, and
IL arose from the burning OF the drying room OF
the Rittenhouse Woollen Mill fired by lightning.
Another big glare was seen 10 the SKY u.s sS
Hollywood was burned. 1t was impossible to geo
details from these places. as the telephones were
disarranged. The lightning was incessant at
Paterson for an hour and half. and people were
terrified throughout the region. 1t Is thought
that to-days news from the surrounding towns
and rural districts will show great damage. The
rainfall was immense.
heavy rain storm passed over Jersey CITY isso
evening accompanied BY unusually heavy thunder
and lightning. The air appeared to be flied with
electricity and tho flashes exceedine iy sharp.
Tho lightning caused the electric machine in Police
Headauarrers to vibrate visibly and send ont
sparks. Several alarms of hre were sounded but
ali but one proved to be false.
An extension to frame house at No. 212 Beacon
ave-. Jersey CITY, owned by Richard COrnelins,
was struck by lightning and set on fire. The
lightning struck the roof and tore portion, pl,, OF
and felt the shock The damage done to the build
in@ amounted to about 5000. There~fs no other
damage reported. although the lightning was more
| Each dash of lightning was followed by terrific
thunder clap. creating the impression that MANY
| frgh rened. and during the prevalence OF tho
| storm the streets were nearly deserted. ...u
A heavy thunder shower passed over feekskII
last n,cby and large quantity of rain fell causing
considerable damage: Several of the sewers M over yer